


Since Their First Year

by pushupindrag



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 08:51:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5737351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pushupindrag/pseuds/pushupindrag
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is waiting for Seamus to come back after the battle. And when he doesn't, he goes looking for him instead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <i>He'd been in love with his best friend since their first year, watching the Irish kid blow shit up on a regular basis, and nursing the grouchy boy free of his burns when the explosions got too close to his eyebrows.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Since Their First Year

**Author's Note:**

> I recently went to the Harry Potter Warner Brother Studio Tour and it re-awoke my love for Harry Potter so this is what came out of it because I love Dean/Seamus so much and I feel that they're under-appreciated. This is my first time writing for this fandom so I hope i've got the characterization right but i'm sorry if I haven't.
> 
> Un'beted so any mistakes are my own, please tell me if you find any :)

He'd been in love with his best friend since their first year, watching the Irish kid blow shit up on a regular basis, and nursing the grouchy boy free of his burns when the explosions got too close to his eyebrows.

They'd been together through thick and thin, bonding during the sorting as they struck up a friendship. Laughing together towards the early hours of the morning on weekends and holidays. Clutching hidden hands when threats of Sirius Black grew too real, or shouting in defence for a now dead Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Screaming for Harry in unison during the tri wizard tournament, which was right after they had attended the quidditch world cup together, Dean camping out with the Finnigans, sharing a bed. Seamus had been there for Dean when he broke up with Ginny, and Dean had been there for Seamus when it looked like the boy was failing Potions. They had mourned together for Dumbledore, curled together in the one bed, not saying anything at all. And Seamus had been the one to help Dean get out of Hogwarts, running away with one last squeeze of the hand. Dean had always tried to hide his feelings, tried to pry himself away from the laughing eyes and countless freckles of his best friend. He wasn't sure he was always successful in hiding his feelings.

They had always been there for each other, no words said about their tactile nature towards each other. It was expected, that was just them.

Dean had missed Seamus the most while he was on the run. Missed the jokes and the laughter that seemed to follow the sandy haired boy around, the way his brow would furrow when he got irritated or angered. Or how in the mornings, Dean practically had to drag him out of bed or he wouldn't see his friend in class until noon.

Which is why he was sitting there, freezing to death on the steps of the burnt out school, forcing back tears as he watches people shuffle in and out of the entry way. None of them Seamus.

The last he'd heard was that Seamus had gone down to the Quidditch pitch to stave off the attacks from there. He apparently hadn't come back.

Dean was going to go and check, and he had been ready to go down there until somebody had gently sat him back down and drew attention to his heavily bleeding leg. So his leg was propped up while he waited for it to stop bleeding, breathing heavily as he rubbed dust and tears from his eyes.

He wasn't sure what he would do if Seamus turned up dead. Proabaly burst into the tears that were threatening to fall anyway. Then maybe pass out after everything that had happened, he couldn't take the death of his best friend on top of everything else.

So he sits and waits, looking around wildly every time somebody passes him.

"You alright dear? I can finally get to your leg now." He wasn't high priority, so he was surprised one of the Healers could come and help him already. Shaking his head he looks up at the kind voice, smiling through a wince when he see's it's Madam Pomfrey. Finally, a familiar face that wasn't blood stained.

"Go and see somebody else who needs it Madam Pomfrey. I'm fine here for a while." The pain wasn't anything compared to the worry in his head, so he had been able to suppress it.

"Nonsense dear, it won't take long. Then you can go and look for your friend. I know you're itching to go." She sets about undressing his leg, leaning over it and tutting to herself. Dean groaned inwardly at his blatant nature, even Madam Pomfrey knew."If it makes you feel any better dear, he hasn't been brought in on a stretcher." It really didn't, but he thanks her anyway as she goes about fixing the break in his leg and healing up the wound that stings horribly before easing.

"Thank you." He stands, wiggling his leg before tearing off the excess fabric that was torn around his calf. It was annoying him and would only get in his way of looking for Seamus.

"No worries dear, now go on. I've got more patients to see to."

He follows the Healer into the castle, first going over to where the Weasleys were all sat, Harry and Hermione among them. Ginny breaks away from the group to hug him close, tears wetting his shirt before she pulls away.

"I haven't seen him."

"That's okay. I'm sorry about Fred." He whispers into the air and she nods before going back to comfort Mrs Weasley and holding on tightly to Harry's hand.

Moving along, he goes out through the doors to the stairs and starts upwards. There weren't many people around, just a few limping from place to place or sitting with their heads in their hands.

After hopping over a few missing steps, Dean comes to the stop of the second flight of stairs and encounters Neville. The boy was alone, staring at the sword at his feet.

"You alright Neville?" His voice is soft, but it's enough to make Neville jump out of his skin.

"Yeah, just." A deep breath "I just needed to get away from everything for a few minutes." He looks up, bruises covering his face and a steely look to his eyes.

"I'll leave you to it then." Dean goes to carry on, thinking about the easiest way to the Gryffindor common room before turning back. "You haven't seen Seamus have you?" He didn't want to go all the way up just have to come all the way back down. If there was any chance Seamus was still on the grounds he would search there first. If he was being honest with himself, deep down he was putting it off, he wasn't sure he would like what he found while he was looking.

"Oh yeah, I saw him on one of the upper floors a while ago." Recognition flits across his face "I guess i'll keep everyone away for a while yeah?"

"Oh shut up Nev." Dean manages a tight smile, one that Neville shrugs at before going back to staring at the stone steps, not really seeing the glittering metal at his feet.

Quickening his pace, Dean carries on to the dorms, having a rough idea of where Seamus could be. He could be there or the room of requirement, Dean just hoped it was the first room because honestly, he was too exhausted to go looking for the room of requirement right now.

Hobbling, because his leg was still tingling a little, and Madam Pomfrey hadn't done anything to the bruises on his other leg, he finds the portrait to the Gryffindor common room wide open so he climbs inside.

The room itself is as messy as the rest of the castle, chairs are upturned and tables broken, with scorch marks all along the walls. There's a shuffling though from the staircase, the only noise in the otherwise empty space so he takes his wand out, just in case it's someone from the wrong side.

"Who's there?" He's too hardened now for there to be a tremor in his voice, he's fought snatchers and Death Eaters, seen Voldemort die and Harry Potter come back to life. He was still mourning the idea of his best friend.

"Dean?" The answer is garbled and the shuffling turns into thumps, somebody hurrying down the spiral staircase up to the dorms. The voice itself is familiar and has that Irish lilt to it that Dean loves.

"Seamus?" He's rushing too now, up to the doorway of the stairs where he collides with his best friend, arms going around the shorter boy to hold him tight, hands fisting in Seamus' hair and jumper. "You fucking bastard, don't do that to me." He's breathing fast, wand clattering to the floor as he curls around his friend.

And then he's crying, loud sobs and hitching breath. Ugly sobbing that makes Seamus tighten his fingers at Dean's back, his own breath harsh and he cries too.

"Same t' you." Seamus pulls away, but keeps his hands on Dean's forearms, Dean's own grip on Semaus' arms too tight but needed. "Look at you, all bloody and everythin'." They were grounding each other as they clung. Just having Seamus there calmed Dean right down, the tension he had held in his shoulders bleeding away.

"You're no better." Dean lets go, only to readjust his grip on Seamus' shoulder, thumbs running gently over the fabric as he looks the boy opposite him over. Eyes scanning frantically for anything life threatening.

Seamus' face was littered with cuts and bruises, his jumper and pants had spots of blood everywhere and there was a large tear in his forearm that had dried dirty and disgusting. His hair was singed at the ends, but that was so familiar that it makes Dean laugh, with relief and anger that he had been away from Seamus for so long.

"What happened to your leg?" Seamus was looking him over too, and his familiar smirk starts to spread across his face before Dean answers.

"Broke it and then got it completely torn up. Madame Pomfrey spruced me back up." He goes to smile as Seamus glares. And it comes as a no surprise when he whacks Dean hard in the arm.

"You idiot! I can' believe you! First you have to run off and I hear it from 'Arry freakin' Potter that you were beaten up then too! And now you find me with a broken leg and the expression of a hurt puppy!" Seamus was red, and from experience Dean knew that blush went right down his chest. From days when they would all lie there shirtless in the summer and tease each other relentlessly. "Just-" He growls in frustration, and before Dean can get another thought out he's been gripped by his shirt collar and reeled in for a kiss.

It's deep and desperate and everything Dean wanted it to be. There's a clash of teeth when Seamus tries to stumble back, and Dean can practically taste the apology on his lips before Dean grabs the back of his neck, still heated by his blush and kisses him again.

This time it's softer, Dean steadying the shorter with the grip on his neck while he slowly runs his tongue along his best friends lips, frowning a little as he tastes blood from the cuts on them. His free hand goes to wander across the bridge of the Irish lads nose, tracing the freckles that connect them to the bones of his cheeks and down to his neck where they lighten. Eyes closed, he does this out of instinct as he carries on kissing Seamus who was gradually starting to lean on him, hands going from Dean's back to his sides.

From the way Seamus was gripping at him, Dean knew he would be wearing bruises for weeks. But he didn't mind. Instead he breaks away, breathing through his now stuffy nose, wiping away at Seamus' still wet face.

Both laugh, stilted and messy but real, and Dean gladly backs up a little so that Seamus can fully lean on him, head falling just under Dean's chin so that the taller can bury his face in his hair. He smells of dust and blood and terror. But underneath everything he still smells of smoke and sugar.  Familiar and welcoming. The best confirmation that his friend was alive.

They stay there, standing in the middle of the Gryffindor common room for what seems like forever, just listening to each other breath, room come to a standstill around them. Dean opens his eyes after a while, staring at the blinding sunlight bleed through the uncovered window, watching the dust whorls float.

"We're going to be okay. As long as we've got each other." He murmurs, feeling the need for quiet.

"Yeah okay." Agreeing, Seamus finally stands up fully, shaking himself out and Dean can't seem to take his eyes off him. But how was that any different to any other day of his life. "You know, before we go back and face everybody, there's something that's been on me mind." Dean has a feeling he knows what Seamus is going to say but he waits. "Well, uh." A rough cough, and Seamus runs his hands through his now shaggy hair. "I uh love you, you know."

"I love you too." They're still talking quietly, and they're still not very far apart. "I'm gad you're okay. I'm really honestly glad."

"Me too." Dean, because that just happened, grabs Seamus' hand, running his thumb over the others knuckles before gently dragging Seamus out of the common room. Willingly, Seamus follows, but the death grip he has on Dean's hand says more than he ever could.

They leave the common room, going downstairs and passing Neville on the way. They both wave, both with a shy head nod that Neville returns with a beam. And it's the first time Dean had ever seen Neville look smug. Passing by, they carry on through the entrance hall, out towards the front doors and passing the great hall entirely.

Professor Mcgonagall raises her eyebrows a little as she stands by the front doors, clearing away the path from rocks and debris. But she's smiling too, and Seamus beams when she huffs out a,   
"Finally." That Dean blushes at. Seriously, how obvious had they been?

Finding their way through the small clumps of people, Dean makes a path down to the banks by the lake, flopping down to stare at the murk water. Still holding hands Seamus follows him, sitting as they watch the giant squid bob around, still watching over the lake.

They loved each other. They were okay, neither was hurt or dead. The war was over. This was a fresh start.

 


End file.
